kershaw



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

W. KERSHAW. APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC.

Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

m mm. nuns cm, moroumo wmnmog, m c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. KERSHAW. APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC. No. 465,824.

Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

gfbfnewcsr mwydzwm 524/ W: mm Perms 00.. mmoqnum, WASNINGYDN. u c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-8heet 3. W. KERSHAW. URNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC.

APPARATUS FOR T No. 465,324.

Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

.I'IIIIIIIIIIIIII" AA WW m; mm vans co, move-arm, vummovou, u. c.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

\VlLLIAM KERSIIAlV, OF LEEDS, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSlC.

SPE CIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,324, dated December 15, 1891.

Application filed June 20, 1888. Serial No. 294,172. (No model.) Patented in England June 22, 1888, No. 9,110; in Germany March 27, 1889, No. 6,869; in France March 28, 1889, No. 197,059,a.nd in Belgium March 28, 1889,1111. 85,534.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a piano fitted Be it known that I, TILLIAM KERSHAW, a with my improved apparatus, and in which subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Leeds, in the countyof- York, England, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Turning Over the Leaves or Pages of Music, (for which Letters Patent have been granted to me in England, hearing date June 22, 1888, No. 9,110; in France, bearing date March 28, 1889, No. 197,059; in Belgium hearing date March 28, 18S9,1\ o. 85,584, and in Germany bearing date lllarch 2'7, 18S9,-N 0. 6,869,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus ormechanism for turning over the leaves orpages of music when placed on the music-rack, such apparatus or mechanism being operated by the foot of the player, the object being to avoid anybreak or interruption of time when playing, since the hands are not then required to be lifted from the key-board or instrument.

My invention includes the apparatus itself, the means for attaching it to the rack, the adjust ment of the rack for different-sized sheet-s and different thicknesses of music-books, and, lastly, the means by which the apparatus is connected to or operated from foot-pedals specially .provided for the purpose.

The apparatus is applicable not only for pianos and organs, but also to ill usic-stands or rests used with other instruments.

The apparatus and the rack adjustments and connections to the pedals are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aplan, looking on the top; Fig. 2, a front end elevation of the apparatus, the cover or casing being represented, however, by dotted lines only in both Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus, a section of the casing or cover being shown by a full black line. Fig. 4c is a front view showing the rack adjustments. Fig. 5 is a section of the piano-panel slide. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of two of the-pivot-plates, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the barrel. Figs. 8 and 9 are side elevation and plan of one of the hinged pawls. Fl. 10 is a horizontal section of part of the barrel, showing the manner in which the'pivot-plates engage with'theteeth and recesses in the barrel; and

View the front of the lower part of the pianocase is supposed removed, so asto expose the pedal and lever attachment-s.

The same letters and figures refer to the same parts in all the views,

A is the base-piece, and-B the top or cap piece, of the apparatus, both having .holes or sockets for the ends of the barrel-axis a a and the axis or pivot 17 b of the pivot-plates e e. H H are two uprights connecting the plates A and B, and are preferably cast with the base-plate A.

c is the outer cover or casing of the apparatus, which reaches down to and covers the back raised part of the base-plate A, but

leaves the gap 1 at the semicircular front part of the cover, between it and the lower part A of the base-plate, to allow of the motion of the arms D.

Lugs, as shown at B, Fig. 3, may be provided, into which holding-screws can be in? serted for securing the casing c in position..

The radial arms D, of which eight are shown in the drawings, (though the apparatus may be arranged with more or less,) are of successively greater length, counting from the first, and carry at their ends spring-clips d, these being slipped over and securely gripping the upper edges of the leaves of the music. The

inner ends of the arms D are hinged to the pivot-plates e c, Fig, 2, so that they can all be raised into averticai position out of the way when not required for use. (See Fig. 11.)

The pivot-plates, of which two are shown in perspective in Fig. 6, are bent so as to have horizontaland vertical parts, (lettered, respectively, e and e'.) The vertical parts 6' are of successively decreasing height by an amount slightly greater than the thickness of the horizontal portion 6, and the horizontal portions at their outer ends likewise successively decrease in width by an amount slightly greater than the thickness of the vertical part c, counting from the first. The side edges of each horizontal piece e are curved, the radius of such curvature being the same as the radius of the recessed portions of the barrel 0, so that when an arm D is in one or the other of its extreme positions to the right or left the side edge next the barrel fits against the outside of the barrel in the bottom of the corresponding groove or recess. The inner end of each horizontal piece e is formed with two tongues or horns '11, leaving a recess between the same. Each of the horizontal pieces e is provided with a hole, through which passes the common pivot or axis 1; b.

The barrel C is shown separately in perspective in Fig. 7, and is constructed with recesses and flanges, so as to insure the proper fitting or working of the horizontal parts eof the pivot-plates and the tongues or hornsz' thereon, with the corresponding teeth or recesses on the outside of the barrel.

The barrel G is provided (in the case shown) with eight teethfiarranged at varying heights on the outside "of the barrel, corresponding with the heights of the sixteen tongues or horns t of the eight pivot-plates and placed successively round the circumference 'of the barrel at angular distances of fortyrfive degrees apart. It the apparatus were arranged with ten radial arms'D, there would be ten teeth fto correspond and'the angulardistances apart would be thirty-six degrees. On both sides, and in the same horizontal line with and close to each tooth f, slots or reeesses g are left in the outside of the barrel G, intb which the tongues or horns iof the horizontal pieces 6 enter or engage as the tooth f ongages in the recess formed between theton' gues or'horns 'i, Fig. 10. It will be evident that as the barrel 0 is successively rotated through angles of forty-five degrees the pivotpplates e e' fand therefore the arms 13, will be success:

ively rotated through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, turning over in one direction or the other-i. 6., forward or backwardthe leaves attached to them. This ar rangement of barrel 0 and pivot-plates e c, it will also be evident, may be regarded as a modification of the well-known Geneva stop mechanism of watches,

In order to rotate the barrel 6 successively through angles of forty-five degrees, (in the case il1ustrated,) I provide the following mechanism: On the top of the barrel are provided ei ht projecting pin-teeth m, set at; equal an: gd lar distanoeslfortvlive degrees) apart. (if the apparatus were provided with ten radial arms D, then ten pin-teeth m, set at angular distances of thirty sixdegrees apart, would be required.) A bell-crank lever "h is provided on 'each side of the barrel 0 and can be drawn downward into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 by means of the linleplates j, operated, as hereinafter described,fro m footlevers. A coiled spiral spring 75 serves to draw back its respective bell-crank leverhto its original position. A hinged pawl Z, attached to thefrout arm of each bell-.cranklever, engages, on the bell-crank lever being moved-"from the foot-lever, with one of the pin-teeth 'm, and thereby moves the barrel 0 through an angle ot forty-five degrees; It

will beseeu that as the bell'crank levers '71 are placed at opposite sides of the barrel 0 the motion of one of thebell-crank lovers will rotate the barrel in an opposite direction to that caused by the motion of the other bell-crank lever, so that, for example, the motion of the leftehand belLcrank lever will turn over the pages of music backward, while the motion of the right-hand bell-crank lever will turn over the pages forward. As the forward motion is that most frequently required, the righthand bell-crank lever h is connected with the rightrhand foot-pedal-i. e., the one nearest the player. The pawls Z, being hinged, canlilft or ride over the pinteeth m when drawn back by the springs 70, but are pressed down, so as to engage with the same teeth (when the bell-crank lever is actuated from the pedal) by means of the iflat springs 01.

In order to give sufficient support to the arms 1), which is necessary, owing to the slight or narrow hearing which the pivot-plates e e have outheir common axis b b, and also to prevent undue friction between the pivot.-

plates themselves, I provide asemicireular race or support 0, on which the outer horizontal under edge of the pivot-plate arms slide, and a semicylindrical guide 1) for the lower inner vertical'edge of the pivot-plates, and, lastly, loose washers r, fitting over the pivot-plate axis 1) between the horizontal parts of the'pivot-plates e.

In order to actuate the apparatus from the special foot-pedals 9 9, Fig. 11,1 make use of the following means or mechanism. Each link-plate j is connected to a sliding piece q, (shown in (gross-section in Fig. 5,) which fits, capable of sliding, in a slotted guide .9, fixed in'the piano panel or front immediately'behind the 'music rack, Fig. 11. Each of the sliding pieces q has a projection on its inner face that passes through a slot formed in each of the two steel bands t, sothat the latter may be readily detached when it is desired to take out the piano front for tuning, the. One of the steel bands 15 is secured to the outer end of a one-armed spring-balanced lever 10 and the other to a similar lever 10, both levers beingpreferably fulor'ulned to the left-hand side "of-the iano. The lever 10 is connected by wire or rod 11 to fOQtwPQdaI. 9, and the lever- 10 is similarly connected by wire or rod 11' to foot-pedal '9. The steel bandst are twisted at rig-ht angles before reaching the keyboard levers, so as to readily pass between the levers.

In order to allow musio=books of various thickness and height being operated by the apparatus, which is clamped by a. milled headed screw in one fixed position to the upper cross-board w of the music-rack, 'I make the music-rack adjustable by the following means: The upper cross-board w is loose or, rather, separate from the upper cross-bar z of the music-desk frame and is provided with two 'slot-holes-w, through which. pass screwed studs 3 permanently fixed to the upper crossbars of music-desk frame. A milled headed nut 1 secures the upper cross-board w to the upper cross-bar z, or, more strictly, the latter to the former, in any position within the limits allowed by the slot-holes a: to which it may have been adjusted. The cross-board w is permanently attached to the top of the pianofront by means of brackets or hinges 13, Fig. 11. The above adjustment allows of books of varying thickness being conveniently operated by the apparatus. The slot ho1es 2 in the outer uprights, enlarged at their upper ends, allow the music-rest 3 to be adjusted to two or more heights, according to the number of such holes provided therefor. The musicrest 3 is carried in such slots by pins 4,which just fit the narrow part of the slots, but which are provided with heads which are so large as just to pass through the enlarged parts of the holes 2. The slots 8 are to allow passage for the links and the recess or slit between these slots is for admitting the stud of the apparatus, which is secured to the upper crossboardw by the large milled headed nut or screw, as shown in Fig. 3.

I find it advisable, owing to the bending of the leaves at the middle, to set the middle edge of the music a little to the left of the center line of the apparatus or desk, and for this purpose I provide a hinge-setting stop 5, which can be turned down when once the music has been adjusted and the leaves attached to the clips (Z. In order to keep the lower middle edge of the music in position when the leaves are being turned over, I provide a stud or pin 6, which can be fixed at any position in the slot in the music-rest by means of the milled headed nut 7 on the under side. To this end the stud has a fixed collar 16, (shown in Fig. 4,) and having a bearing on the upper face of the music-rest, while the milled head 7 on the screw-stud has a bearin g on the under surface of said music-rest.

The mode of operating my invention is as follows: The music-book is placed on the rest, the latter being adjusted in the slots 2 for height and the studs 3 in the slots :1: for thickness. The pin 6 is then placed in front of the first or second page to be turned over close to the middle crease of the book or sheets. The leaves or pages are then successively connected to the clips (1, the arms D being turned down successively into a horizontal position for the purpose. The footpedal 9' is then depressed, which causes the depression of the right hand bell crank lever, the rotation of the barrel 0 in the direction indicated by the arrow -in Fig. 1 through forty-five degrees and the top pivotplate and the first shortest arm D through one hundred and eighty degrees in the direction also shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, and thereby the turning over of the first page. On raising the foot from the pedal the spring 12' raises the lever 10', pedal 9, and steel band, and the spring attached to the bellcrank lever raises the latter to its normal position, ready to be again pulled forward and downward when the pedal is next again depressed. The successive depression of the pedal 9 successively rotates the other arms in exactly the same manner. The depression of the pedal 9 depresses the left-hand bell crank lever, causing a reverse motion of the barrel 0 and the arms D to that just described, thereby turning back the pages or leaves.

I am well aware that prior to this my invention intermittently-rotated arms and also barrels or cylinders have been used for the purpose of turning over the leaves of music.

I do not therefore claim their use broadly;

but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an intermittentlyrotated barrel having teeth m on or at one of the circular ends and teeth f and recessss g on the outer cylindrical surface, with pivotplates 2 e, having tongues 11, and a recess between the tongues at one end and curved sides or edges, all "substantially as set forth and shown, and for the reasons and purposes specified.

2. The combination of the bell-crank levers 72-, having hinged pawls land spiral springs k, with the barrel 0, having teeth m on or at one end, and the pivot-plates having vertical and horizontal parts e and c, all substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of pivot-plates having vertical and horizontal parts 6 e and the hinged radial arms D of the barrel 0, having teeth 'm, and means for imparting a step-bystep rotation to said barrel, substantially as set forth.

4. In a music-leafturner, the bearing-racc 0 and cylindrical guide 19, substantially as shown, and for the purpose specified.

5. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of the links 3' with the sliding pieces and guide 8, substantially as set forth.

6. In a music-leaf turner, the combination, with the guide 5, of the steel bands t, having slot-holes, and the spring-balanced levers, all substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the abovedescribed apparatus for turning over the leaves or pages of music with a music-rack having adjustable top cross -board w, adjustable rest 3,

.hinged setting stop 5, and holding-pin 6, all

substantially as set forth and shown, and for the purposes specified.

XVII-LIAM KERSIIAIV.

Witnesses:

HERBERT TEALE, Gno. F. Moss. 

